PSG sneak past Marseille

Paris Saint-Germain FC beat Olympique de Marseille 7-6 on penalties in the last 16 of the French Cup on Sunday, depriving the 1993 UEFA Champions League winners of their last chance to play in Europe next season.

Alonzo the hero
The match finished 1-1 after 90 minutes and neither side could break the deadlock in extra-time so it all came down to penalties with PSG goalkeeper Jérôme Alonzo saving Daniel van Buyten's kick to send the Parisians into the quarter-finals. Marseille had opened the scoring in the 67th minute, with Brazilian midfielder André Luís Moreira supplying the cross for Belgian defender Van Buyten to head home.

Heinze equaliser
But PSG, who are third in the French first division and chasing a Champions League berth next season, equalised in the 86th minute through defender Gabriel Heinze and went on to win the shootout. Marseille, record ten-time winners of the French Cup, have had a disappointing season. They are already out of the French League Cup and eleventh in the first division, 21 points behind leaders RC Lens and just seven above bottom-placed side FC Lorient.

Lorient through
Earlier, Lorient scraped through to the quarter-finals by beating third division club Louhans-Cuiseaux 6-5 on penalties after the sides were level at 2-2 following extra-time.